Wire-stretcher.



PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

H. L. WYETI-I. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1906.

1927a, [NI/ENTOR,

WITNESSES.-

ATTORNE Y5 UNITED STATES FTENT OFFICE.

spe'cificam of Letters Patent.

Application filed my 10,1906. Serial No. 316,214.

To glitchofitit may concern- 7 Be itknowii'that' L'HARRY L; WYETH, a citizen of the United 'States, residing at Garrettfi n th'e county of'Douglas and State of Illinois ,have invented a new and useful VVire- Stretcherj'of which the following is a specifi cation.

This invention has relation to wire-stretchers'fandit consists'in the novel construction and arrangement of'its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and durable device adapted to be used for stretching the line-wires for fence constructions, although it may be used to advantage for stretching wires used for other purposes. The stretcher may be operated by a single person, who can stretch the wire and then secure the same to a fence-post by a staple or other securing means in such manner as to prevent the said wire from sagging.

The peculiar manner of accomplishing the desired result as well as the detail of the novel construction will be specifically described hereinafter and illustrated in the accomp anying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wire-stretcher. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the wireclamping device of the stretcher. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wire-clamping device, and Fig. 4. is a perspective view of a portion of bar and link used in the stretcher.

The stretcher consists of a bar 1, to one end of which is attached a chain or similar flexible strand 2 and by means of which the said bar 1 may be made fast to a post or other stationary object. The said bar 1 is provided in its upper and lower edges with the notches 3 3. The notches in the upper edge in position are staggered with relation to the notches in the lower edgethat is to say, the notches in the upper edge are located vertically in the intervals that occur between the notches of the lower edge. The bar 1 is provided with the pointed end 4. The notches 3 are provided with the inclined edges 5 and the substantially semicircular abutment-recesses 6. The lever 7 is provided at its upper end with an eye 8, through which the said bar 1 passes. The links 9 9 are pivotally attached to the said lever 7, one on each side of the eye 8. The coil-spring 10 connects the said links together, and the tension of said spring is such as to have a tendency to maintain unscrewing upon the said pin the outerends of saidlinkstogethen The outer ends'of the said links 9 are curved toward each other, as atll, and are provided with the elongated openings 12, said openings extending in the line of the longitudinal axis of the said links. The wire-clamping device 13 is pivotally attached to the lever 7 on the.

opposite side thereof from the eye 8. The said wire-clamping device consists of the shank 1 1, said sh'ank'14 having at one' end the rectangular portion 15, which is provided in its forward edge with the wire-receiving recess 16. The guide-pin 17 is at-\ tached to the portion 15, as is also the threaded pin 18.

The clamping-plate 19 is provided with suitable perforations adapted to receive the pins 17 18 and is adapted to fit within the portion 15. The inner surface of the said plate 19 is provided With a transversely-extending groove 20, which is in horizontal alinement with the recess 16 of the said portion 15. The lower edge of said plate 19 is provided with the inwardly-extending flange 21, which is adapted to bear against the inner surface of the portion 15. The coil-spring 2 surrounds the pin 18 and bears against the inner surface of the portion 15 and the plate 19. The tension of said spring is such as to have a tendency to force the plate 19 away from the portion 15. The tap 23 is internally screw-threaded and is adapted to fit upon the outer portion of the pin 18, said tap being provided with a laterally-extending handle 24 to be used for convenience in screwing and The operation of the wire-stretcher is described as follows: The chain 2 is made fast to a post 25 or other stationary object. The line-wire 26 is drawn across the face of the post 27. The said wire is passed through the recess 19 of the portion of the wire-clamping device and through the horizontal groove 20 of the plate 19. The tap 23 is then rotated so as to force the plate 19 toward the portion 15, which clamps the wire 26 between the said members and securely holds the same. The pointed end 4 of the bar is then inserted in the eye 8, one of the links 9 resting upon the upper edge of said bar and the other link 9 bearing against the lower edge of said bar. Then by swinging the lower end of the lever 7 the openings 12 of the curved ends of the said links receive alternately the semicircular edges 6 of the recesses 3-that is to say, the upper link 9 will receive the edge of a recess Patented Aug. '28", 1906 ITO in the upper edge of the bar 1. Then using this point of contact as a pivot and by swinging the lever 7 the lower link 9 is advanced, so as to receive the edge of a recess in the lower side of the bar 1, said lower recess being just in ad vance of the said upper recess. Then by using the point of contact between the lower link and lower recess as a pivot or fulcrum the upper link is advanced, and so on, until the wire 26 is stretched to the proper tension. When this has been accomplished, the said wire is secured to the post 27 by means of a staple or other securing device, and when this is done the tap 23 is unscrewed, and the implement is thus detached from the said wire 26. The chain 2 is then unhooked from the bar 1 and the said bar is passed through the eye 8, when it may again be attached to the chain 2 and the operation above described repeated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a Wire-stretcher of the seasas character as described, a wire -clamping means consisting of a member having a lug adapted to be pivotally attached to the wirestretcher, a rectangular portion attached to said lug and having in one edge a wire-receiving recess and a guide-pin and a screw-threaded pin attached to said rectangular portion, a plate having perforations adapted to receive the said pins, said plate having at its lower edge an inwardly-extending flange, a coilspring mounted upon the said screw-threaded pin and interposed between the said plate and said rectangular portion and a tap adapted to engage the thread of said screw-threaded pin and adapted to bear against the outer side of said plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. WYETH.

Witnesses HARRY BLAKE, CHRIS RrTz. 

